Ypsilanti Township Man Found Guilty in Brutal 2009 Rape of Prostitute

In October of 2012, 40-year-old Anthony Derrick Chandler was arrested for attacking a prostitute in March of 2009. Chandler allegedly beat the woman, choking her and slashing her with a knife. On Thursday May 2, he was found guilty of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault with intent to do great bodily harm. Chandler may now face life in prison.

Chandler was originally charged with assault with intent to murder, however jurors opted for assault with intent to do great bodily harm. They found him guilty as charged on all other counts.

It took authorities more than three years to apprehend the suspect, however DNA and identification by the victim ultimately led to his arrest. According to a news article at AnnArbor.com, the alleged victim, who is 44 years old, identified Chandler in a photographic lineup. DNA was found on the victim’s coat and a glove recovered at the crime scene which also linked Chandler to the crime.

The victim was a prostitute, and admitted that she had purchased crack cocaine before the alleged rape and attack. David Goldstein, Chandler’s attorney, told the jury in his closing remarks that jurors should think carefully about the victim’s claim that she did not smoke the crack cocaine she bought that day, and told them that they should consider how hard drugs affect an individual’s memory. Goldstein said that there were “lots of discrepancies” in what the woman said.

DNA experts who testified at the trial on behalf of the prosecution did admit that it was Chandler’s DNA found on the victim’s coat and inside a glove found in the snow at the alleged crime scene, however they also said that the woman’s body contained evidence of other semen as well.

The 2009 attached took place in Ypsilanti Township where South Harris Street dead-ends at the railroad tracks. The victim claims that as she stood near a baseball field, she was grabbed and dragged to a wooded area nearby while Chandler held her at knifepoint; he then allegedly raped her on a mattress, attempting to slash her throat but ultimately slashing her hand as she attempted to defend herself.

Chandler is scheduled to be sentenced on June 3; he is currently being held at the Washtenaw County Jail.

Michigan sex crime defense lawyers know that in a situation like this, it is difficult to determine whether events actually played out as the alleged victim claims. Considering that the woman was a prostitute and addicted to hard drugs, it’s hard to know the truth. However, it appears as though the defendant in this case may spend the rest of his life in prison.

Individuals who have been charged with any sex-related crimes should not hesitate before contacting a capable and effective Michigan sex crime attorney. Your freedom and future are at risk without the support and guidance of a skilled lawyer.